ICNA FAQs

1: Does ICNA support terrorist organizations?

ICNA does not, nor has it ever, supported organizations that use violence, intimidation, threats, harassment or any other harmful behavior to further their objectives. To the contrary, ICNA sees each of these traits as anathema to the core message of Islam and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Terrorism is not Islam and any so-called “Islamic” organizations that promote violence as the solution to political, social, or religious conflict have nothing in common with our faith. Al Qaeda, ISIS, Boko Haram, the Taliban and other such groups dishonor our religion, culture and values every time they invoke the name of Allah (SWT). Whatever they claim to be, members of these organizations are not true Muslims and have no place in religious or secular society, period.

2: Does ICNA support Jemaah Islamiyah?

ICNA has never supported Jemaah Islamiyah (AKA Jemaah Islamiah), a Southeast Asian terrorist organization with ties to ISIS and Al Qaeda. Sometimes confused with Jemaah Islamiyah is Jamaat-e-Islami, a group of independent political, legal and social movements that operate throughout the Indian subcontinent. While the former appears on the US State Department’s list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations, the latter does not. Regardless, ICNA has no structural, collaborative, organizational or any other ties with any of the aforementioned organizations.

3: Did one of ICNA Relief USA’s beneficiaries, Al-Khidmat Foundation, donate six million rupees to Hamas leader Khaled Mashal?

Over the years, ICNA and its affiliates such as Helping Hand USA have funded the disaster relief efforts in Pakistan often through Al-Khidmat Foundation which is considered the largest humanitarian organization in that country. All donations to Al-Khidmat are and always have been restricted to fully legal charitable causes within Pakistan’s borders. Regardless, it is worth noting that ICNA and its affiliates share no material, financial, leadership, or other type of connection to any organizations outside of North America. Our relationship with Al-Khidmat Foundation is project by project basis.

Hamas is a Palestinian group classified as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the US State Department in 1997. We have never been made aware by US or Pakistani Governments, any agency, reputable body or any media outlet that it has received funds from Al-Khidmat. Rumors to this end were fabricated and spread by a radical American blogger known for his extremist, Islamophobic views. Furthermore, this person is particularly notable for supporting the JDL, an organization designated as a right-wing terrorist group by the FBI and hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. In any case since our relationship with Al-Khidmat Foundation is on project by project basis, we have no say nor do we have any legal or moral responsibility on how Al-Khidmat raises and spends its funds. See “Al-Khidmat and ICNA”.